Luigi Motta: The Forgotten Heir of Emilio Salgari's Sandokan Saga

Luigi Motta (1881-1955) was a highly productive writer of adventure tales, having authored more than 88 novels, frequently using the pseudonym Salgari-Motta. His first work, I flagellatori dell’oceano (1901), featured a preface by Emilio Salgari. In contrast to Salgari, Motta found financial prosperity, establishing the travel magazine Attorno al mondo and relocating to Milan in 1905, where he published over two books each year. In 1907, he initiated Biblioteca fantastica dei giovani italiani. A contract with Treves in 1908 resulted in twelve novels that combined adventure with scientific themes. His 1908 title, La principessa delle rose, portrayed a future conflict with an Asian alliance. In the 1930s, he founded OPM. Emilio Moretto later ghostwrote three novels posthumously. Critic Elena Malaguti remarked on Motta's simplistic prose despite his popularity in the genre.